1. Technical Field
The present invention primarily pertains to traction elements applied to carpeted stair treads, and the like, to prevent persons from slipping on the stair treads, and, in addition, the invention pertains to methods of making and applying the traction elements to carpeted stair treads and other surfaces.
2. Terminology
It is to be understood that, unless otherwise stated or contextually evident, as used herein: the terms “upper”, “top”, “lower”, “bottom”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, etc., are used for convenience to refer to the orientation of slip prevention structure when installed on a stairway with horizontal treads and vertical risers and are not intended to otherwise limit the structures described and claimed; the terms “axis”, “axially”, “longitudinal”, “longitudinally”, etc., refer to dimensions extending parallel to the length dimension of the aforesaid structure; and the terms “lateral”, “laterally”, transverse, etc., refer to the width dimensions of the aforesaid structure. When used to describe a stair tread surface, the term “width” refers to the tread surface dimension oriented transversely of the direction of stairway ascent and descent, and the term “depth” refers to the dimension in the direction of such ascent/descent. When used to describe a substrate employed in the invention, the term “length” refers to the longest dimension of the substrate along its top and bottom surfaces, the term “width” refers to the dimension perpendicular to the substrate length along those surfaces, and the term “thickness” refers to the distance between those surfaces.
3. Discussion of the Prior Art
Carpeted stair treads, particularly at their forward or leading edges, tend to wear with use, resulting in a relatively low friction surface on which persons slip and injure themselves. The prior art includes many attempts to solve this problem, most of which suffer from one or more disadvantages such as expense, complexity and/or time consumption in installation, poor aesthetic appearance, ineffectiveness in providing sufficient friction, etc.